


uneasy lies the head

by kim47



Series: summerpornathon 2013 [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 15:51:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kim47/pseuds/kim47
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What she feels for him is different to what she felt for Arthur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	uneasy lies the head

**Author's Note:**

> For challenge five at summerpornation: canon era.

Gwen tells him herself.

The weight of her own grief is heavy, but she pushes it aside to do her duty.

Leon's eyes are wide and his emotion, though tightly restrained, is clear to her. He doesn't say a word, though, merely drops to one knee before her.

“Your Majesty,” he says, voice low but steady.

She offers him her hand and he kisses the ring that now sits permanently on her finger.

There's a moment, when he stands - he catches her hand for the briefest moment and squeezes it. And in that moment she wants to break down, wants to let herself cry and scream and let him comfort her.

“Come,” she says instead. “There is much we need to discuss.”

***

What she feels for him is different to what she felt for Arthur but, she thinks, no less real. It's quieter and steadier – with no overbearing, expectant father or the weight of a whole kingdom on his shoulders – she feels calmer in it, more secure.

She sees him looking sometimes, out of the corner of her eye, feels him stiffen slightly when their hands brush against each others in the everyday course of things.

Gwen knows he would do anything for her – he's proved himself time and time again in the last year, he's been an unshakeable constant since Arthur's death. His devotion to her is as unwavering as it was to him.

But she doesn't want this for the kingdom.

Gwen wants him for herself.

*

“Your Majesty, I - ”

“Gwen,” she tells him. She stands back from the door and gestures for him to enter. “When it's just us, please, Leon. I'm still – just Gwen.”

She's wanted to tell him that before, but some part of her was waiting for him to do it on his own.

“Gwen,” he says, smiling.

She doesn't mean to, she hadn't planned to, but Gwen kisses him. She's tired of waiting.

He hesitates for a moment before kissing her back and oh, it's so good, it's better than she'd imagined. His beard is rough against her cheeks and his hands are unbelievably gentle on her waist.

“This isn't – you don't have to - ” she stutters against his lips when she pulls back. She needs him to know that this isn't another service required of him by his queen.

He touches her cheek, his thumb brushing against her lips. “And if I want to?” he asks, no slyness in his voice.

She kisses him again.

*

He's strong. Gwen knew that, but it's one thing to see it in training, to sense it underneath his chainmail; it's another when he picks her up effortlessly and carries her to her bed, kissing her deeply the entire time.

And for all that his hands are remarkably deft as he undresses her, and then his mouth warm on her neck as he slides his hand between her legs.

It's been too long since she's had anything but her own fingers, and Gwen doesn't bother to bite back the moan as he touches her, sliding down the bed to kiss her breasts, and then her stomach, moving until he's kneeling between her legs, his beard tickling her inner thighs.

“Gwen, can I - ”

“Yes,” she gasps, not waiting to hear the end of the question. He laughs softly, and then leans in and kisses her cunt, licking into her with deft, broad strokes.

It takes her barely any time before she's shuddering and crying out, fingers tangled in his hair, and he eases off. When he crawls back up the bed to kiss her, she can feel him hard against her thigh, and she takes him in hand, stroking him until he's gasping, mouth slack against hers.

*

“Stay,” she tells him afterward. “I mean, you don't have to, I'm not ordering you to, I just want - ”

He kisses her in reply, thankfully, putting an end to her bumbling. It's been a long, long time since she felt like that earnest, awkward girl, but somehow, now, she does. It's a strange sort of relief, to know she hasn't lost all the parts of who she was.

“As long as you want me to.”


End file.
